Charms
by NotYetLostFaith
Summary: "She opened the box slowly and gasped again. Before her sat a beautiful tri-colour gold charm bracelet...Affixed to the bracelet were ten charms... "Plenty of room for more." A lifetime more..." A series of shorts, depicting several more charms Ziva and Jethro have a lifetime to collect.
1. Valentine's Day

_Author's Note: _Naturally, I entirely blame abstractartist for this. She twisted my arm to write a ficlet (and shush, this is short) for each new charm added to the bracelet that Jethro got Ziva for Christmas in Have Yourself A Merry Little Zibbsmas (shameless plug (you don't have to read that first but I'd appreciate it if you did :D)) I don't know how many I'll end up doing. I have a few planned already and she's given me some ideas, if you'd like to see any in particular feel free to let me know. So long as I am basing the charm in each chapter on a real one and not making it up as I go along, I'll put a link to it on my profile. I hope you enjoy this bit of fluffiness (because unless specified otherwise, they will be pure fluff). Read, review, enjoy NYLF xx

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_He wakes her up to breakfast in bed, the newest charm nestled in its box between the red rose and her pancakes._

When Ziva had turned up in Jethro's basement that fateful night and had declared she loved him, neither of them had expected that nearly a year later, they would be spending their first Valentine's together. Jethro certainly hadn't expected to be in the kitchen, Valentine's morning, making breakfast for the beautiful woman in his bed. He shook his head at the thought, his grin threatening to split his cheeks.

He had woken up to find her snuggled into his chest, her right hand laying warmly over his heart, the metal of her bracelet leaving imprints in his skin, a peaceful smile on her face while her head rested on his chest. His own hands hadn't been idle. His right arm was fitted under the curve of her waist, his hand tucked snugly around her hip bone, while his left stroked butterfly soft lines up and down her forearm. He hadn't been able to keep the smile off his face.

She'd slowly followed him into wakefulness, nuzzling her face into his sleep warmed skin before rolling her head up to face him, her dreamy smile matching his own. They had shared a soft, loving but heatless kiss before pulling away just far enough for Jethro to rest his forehead against hers.

"Happy Valentine's Day." He murmured softly. A stunning smile broke on her face.

"Happy Valentine's Day back." She chuckled. He smiled back and kissed her forehead lingeringly before moving to get out of bed. She had barely gotten a single foot from under the covers to join him before he spun on the spot and waggled a finger at her.

"Nuh uh. Stay." He growled playfully. She chuckled.

"Why?" He tapped the side of his nose conspiratorially. She sighed. "Fine. May I at least use the bathroom before you confine me to our bed?" Jethro would have laughed if the phrase 'our bed' hadn't melted his heart just a little. She had said it so casually. As if it was common fact now that it was _their_ bed. He supposed it was, but he'd never really thought about it. "Jethro?" Ziva asked softly, sensing the sudden change in his mood. He nodded, clearing his throat.

"No further than the bathroom Ziva. Then back in bed." She nodded, the stunning smile seeming to have become a permanent fixture as she practically floated to the bathroom while he'd made his way downstairs.

Jethro chuckled to himself as he loaded up a tray with pancakes, orange juice, a single red rose-from the bouquet he'd had delivered just a few minutes before-and the small jewellery box that contained part of her present. He hadn't done this for a very long time and hadn't ever expected to be doing it again. But Ziva was worth it. Worth so much more too.

Jethro smiled at the thought of 'more' with her. They may have known each other for ever, but they had only been seeing one another for just under a year, so 'more' wasn't coming yet. But he'd already picked out her ring. He chuckled lowly before carefully carrying her breakfast tray up to her.

Ziva was sat up in bed, the covers folded around her waist, hands clasped above them, humming to herself. Jethro bumped open the door with his hip before turning more fully into the room so Ziva could see the tray in his arms. Her already mile wide smile, grew in size as her eyes sparkled.

"Breakfast is served m'lady." Ziva laughed, somewhat emotionally. "Ya not gonna cry are you?" Jethro asked; both mocking and concerned. She shook her head.

"No." She murmured, a tinge in her tone convinced him she was lying. Jethro smiled softly before sitting on the bed beside her and passing her the tray before getting himself comfortable and tucking her into his side. "Thank you for this." He pressed a long kiss to her crown before resting his cheek against her curls.

"S'only breakfast." He murmured, suddenly slightly self conscious. She shook her head beneath his cheek.

"It is breakfast in _bed. _On _Valentine's _Day." She chuckled softly. "I love you." She tilted her head back to capture his mouth. They kissed slowly, lovingly, before Jethro pulled back with a smile.

"Well it's getting cold so…" She giggled, something she only ever did when they were alone together, and he kissed the tip of her nose.

Once she had eaten, and held the rose to her face for a full minute, a blissful smile on her face the entire time, Jethro took away the tray to place it on the floor on his side of the bed and put the box on her lap. She picked it up and held it in her palm as if it were the most precious thing she had ever held.

"Just part of your present." He murmured. She nodded before moving so she was sat in the V of his thighs, her legs crossed, facing him. "Got reservations for later too." She nodded before dropping her gaze to the box. They sat in silence for a few moments. "You actually going to open it?" He chuckled. She shot him a small smile before nodding once more and gently prising open the lid.

Nestled safely in red velvet sat a tiny new charm for the bracelet she hadn't taken off since Christmas. This one was a yellow gold heart outline, within which sat a solid golden rose surrounded by the words 'Be My Valentine'. The most beautiful smile he had ever seen spread across her face as her eyes sparkled with diamond looking unshed tears.

"Thought you said you _weren't_ gonna cry?" Jethro joked. Ziva rolled her eyes but didn't deny it. He was right after all. "You're crying 'cause you're happy right?" It was a rare moment of vulnerability but they were comfortable enough now to share them. Ziva nodded before looking up at him just as the first shimmering droplet tumbled down her cheek.

"What did I do to deserve you?" She mused quietly. Jethro smiled softly, gently stroking the tear from her cheek with his thumb. She took his hand in her own and brought it to her mouth."Thank you." She whispered against his palm. He leaned in slowly and caressed her lips with his own in a whisper of an embrace.

"You're so welcome Ziva." He slipped his hand free and took hold of her bracelet, carefully opening the clasp and sliding on her latest charm. Once he re-clasped it, he pressed a butterfly kiss to the inside of her wrist. "Happy Valentine's Day Ziva." She choked of a laugh before falling into his waiting embrace.

"Happy Valentine's Day Jethro."


	2. Engagement

_She woke to find a brand new charm on her bracelet and him beside her on bended knee._

Jethro sat in the curve of Ziva's body as she lay beneath the covers in their bed. Her knees curled behind his hips, her hands fisted under her chin. She looked so adorable. He'd never tell her that of course, he liked being able to walk and was rather... _attached_ to the appendage she was likely to threaten, but that didn't stop him thinking it.

He told her everyday that she was beautiful though, secretly delighting in how, even after all these months, he could still make her blush with simple words of affection-very true words.

He felt stupidly blessed that she had chosen him of all people.

He smiled to himself as he watched her.

The early morning light filtered through the thin cotton of their curtains, illuminating her skin, making her look as if she was glowing.

He gently teased back a loose curl and pressed the softest of kisses to her temple.

He did actually have a reason for staring at her this morning. Not that he hadn't the day before, or the day before that: she was well worth staring at. But this morning was different.

He painstakingly slowly curled his thumb underneath her right wrist, careful not to move her so much that the bracelet jangled and woke her, and pulled it towards him.

With a quick but quiet and steady hand, he opened the clasp and slipped the brand new charm onto the chain, before re-clasping it and gently putting her hand back where he had found it.

He wondered if he left now, and didn't go through with the next half of his plan, how long it would take for her to notice and question him on it.

The question of _if_ was a moot point, but _when_ could be debated.

He shook his head as his smile grew.

Yes, he could wait and see, to test his girlfriend's 'ninja skills', but he desperately wanted to see her face when she realised what was going on. He so ardently wanted to see the joy, hopefully, spread across her gorgeous features and the love, which was certain whatever the answer, dance with the chocolate in her eyes.

He was going to make her cry again, and he knew it.

He managed to keep his chuckle to himself as he watched her lips move slowly, her eye lids start to flutter, alerting him that it wasn't long time the show began.

She was nearly awake and he knew exactly how she should find him.

He got off the bed slowly, silently, before slipping onto bended knee.

"Jethro." She sighed sleepily, not yet awake enough to open her eyes, but awake enough to sigh his name.

_His_ name.

Jethro's heart stuttered at the thought before he got his head back into the present moment.

The proverbial moment of truth.

Ziva's eyes fluttered open, finding his immediately, he was kneeling right in front of her face after all.

"Hi." She murmured, her beautiful lovely smile on full display. He smiled back before leaning in to kiss her slowly. He couldn't resist. It would take a far greater man than he to resist kissing the stunning woman currently curled up on her side of their bed.

He pulled back after making her giggle, by placing a kiss to the very tip of her nose, and flashed her a quick, but noticeably preoccupied smile.

"Are you alright?" Jethro smiled. She hadn't even been awake for a minute and she was already worrying about everyone else.

God he loved her.

"Everything's fine. Better than fine. It's...god you're beautiful." He sighed softly. She rolled her eyes, but the soft rose tint to her cheeks gave her away.

"Thank you." She murmured, reaching out to gently stroke her index finger down his cheek. "Is there a reason you are complimenting me?"

Her eyes narrowed playfully. "What have you done?"

Jethro laughed, he couldn't help it. She chuckled softly alongside him, still not entirely sure what was going on.

"I haven't done anything...yet." He smiled when her eyes narrowed further, now he'd got her inquisitive mind going. This wouldn't take long at all.

She laid her hand on his cheek, gently directing his face so she could look him in the eye.

He could literally see the moment her eyes lit up when she found it.

"You put a new charm on my bracelet?" She asked, disbelieving, as she pulled it up to her face so she could inspect it.

A white gold box, with a rose gold ribbon around it, topping it off with a bow.

She twirled it around and around in her fingers before lifting her eyes to ask him to explain. But the question died on her tongue as her breath caught in her throat and she sat bolt upright.

Before her, laid in the dead centre of his palm, sat a box that basically matched her charm, save it was white velvet with a pink ribbon.

She looked from the box, to his twinkling eyes and back.

"Jethro?" She whispered, hardly breathing for fear of waking up from this, or of jumping to the entirely wrong conclusion.

He smiled at her reassuringly before slowly lifting the lid.

She gasped, tears springing to her eyes as she saw that the conclusion, to which she had jumped, had been the right one.

Standing up in the cushion lining the bottom of the box, was the most beautiful ring she had ever seen, and it had absolutely nothing to do with the fact that the man knelt before her, a hesitant- slightly shy- smile on his face, had brought it for her.

The simple, elegant, white gold band was topped off with a stunning blue topaz stone, which was surrounded by three tiny diamonds on either side of it.

She looked from the ring to him.

He was right, he'd made her cry.

"Jethro?" She breathed once more, still not quite believing this was really happening.

He smiled softly at her.

"It's uhh..." he hesitated, suddenly shy, "it's your birth stone apparently."

She smiled at him. A truly brilliant smile that showed off all her teeth.

He smiled back, gaining confidence by the second. "So, now you've seen it, guess I have a question for ya." Ziva nodded slowly, the tears already pooling in her eyes.

"Ziva David."

Ziva gasped, her hand clasping her chest as she watched this unfold. She'd never imagined, hoped yes, but never actually expected someone to be asking _her_ this question.

Especially not Jethro Gibbs.

"Will you do me the honour, of being my wife, until the end of our days?"

Ziva sobbed quickly at the implication of those specific words.

She would be the last one.

The one to stay with him.

She stared at him as the tears started to fall.

He faltered for a moment, itching to take her in his arms, hating that he was making her cry, even if they were happy tears.

"Yes." She whispered. "Oh Jethro, how could I say anything else? Yes."

He pulled her into his arms as they both laughed, huge smiles stretching their cheeks. "Yes." She said again, volume and conviction rising. "Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes!"

Jethro laughed and kissed her hard, even through them both smiling.

He pulled back slowly and took her left hand, slipping her engagement ring onto her finger.

It fit perfectly.

"I love you so much." She murmured, emotion getting the better of her again.

"Good. You're stuck with me now." She laughed out loud and pulled him off his knees and into the bed until he was laid on top of her.

He wasn't going anywhere any time soon.

She and her fiancé had much better things to do then get up or dressed.


	3. Birthday

_He knew better than to present her with her age as they sat at an expensive restaurant, even if it was solid gold._

The maitre d' smiled at them both as he led them through the restaurant.

Jethro found his hand curling around her back, more than slightly possessively. Not that anyone would blame him.

Ziva was beautiful when she walking around the house in sweats and a t-shirt, her messy hair thrown into a ponytail, but when she pulled out all the stops, it left him not only speechless, but also finding it pretty hard to breathe evenly.

She had left her hair to air dry naturally, causing it to fall around her shoulders in beautiful shiny waves.

She never wore much make-up, but the purple glittery eye shadow made her eyes sparkle and the slightly darker pink than usual lip gloss was making it hard fro him to restrain himself rather than kissing her senseless.

The dress wasn't helping much either.

It was bright red, strapless, silky smooth and clung to her curves like a second skin. It was simple, elegant and sexy as hell. It curved around her bust, ending in a sweetheart neckline that dipped into her cleavage just far enough to get his blood pumping a bit faster, and stopped just above her knee.

A split on the left hand side was obviously for practicality so she could walk, but it also gave anyone looking a tantalising snapshot of her thigh.

The two inch thick black belt, strategically placed under her bust, completed the look and pushed up her breasts to enhance her already magnificent cleavage.

Jethro had spent for than ten minutes just staring at her legs. She was wearing simple black pumps with a five inch heel which made her legs look amazing.

Jethro swallowed hard, they had only just got to the restaurant.

They had to get through the entire meal before he could take her home.

They reached their table and Ziva thanked the young man as he placed their menus on the table while Jethro pulled out her chair for her.

She flashed him a beautiful smile and kissed his cheek before sitting down.

The maitre d' left them to it shortly after.

"Thank you for this Jethro." Ziva smiled.

"It's your birthday Ziva, we had to celebrate." He chuckled. She smiled softly.

"I would have been alright with take out and cuddling up on the sofa with you."

"Well now ya tell me." Jethro laughed, prompting another smile from his beautiful date. "Ziva, I want to celebrate you."

Colour rose in Ziva's cheeks as she ducked her head, a truly shy smile playing on her lips.

He let her have a moment.

He didn't want to embarrass her, ever, especially on her birthday, but she deserved to know that she was worth showing off.

They ate in relative silence, neither of them being big on words. They were comfortable enough with each other that they didn't need to talk constantly; they could just enjoy each other's company.

They both ordered desert and Jethro ordered champagne.

"Jethro? Really?" Ziva asked incredulously. Jethro simply smiled.

"Celebrating you, remember?" She shook her head, dropping her eyes to the table. "You're worth celebrating Ziva, don't ever forget it." She gave him a simply stunning smile that stole his ability to breathe.

He took her hand in his own, slowly tracing his thumb back and forth beneath her bracelet. "I love you."

She shook her head, her smile firmly in place.

"No more than I love you." They shared a soft, intimate moment before their desert arrived, along with the champagne, and they reluctantly released each other's hands to eat.

Their desert plates lay finished before them as they sipped at the champagne.

Neither of them had spoken in several minutes, more than happy to just watch the other.

Jethro was the first to move.

He slipped his hand into his jacket pocket and took out a box, placing it in front of where her right hand rested on the table before gently stroking his thumb back and forth on the back of her fingers.

"Happy birthday Ziva." He murmured, watching as her eyes lit up and jumped from him to the red box mere millimetres from her fingertips.

Once she took his gaze and held it he nodded, knowing she was asking his permission.

"Go ahead, open it."

She smiled at him before taking the box in hand.

"Oh wow." She gasped as she saw the newest charm sat in the box. The candy stripe candle, in white and rose gold, with a minuscule yellow gold base, glimmered in the soft lighting of the room.

She traced it with her finger, finding each and every intricacy.

Jethro watched on, proud of himself for being able to put that look of joy and awe on his fiancé's face.

She looked up at him, a huge, very pretty smile on her face.

"Will..." she cleared her throat gently, determined not to cry at this one. "Will you put it on for me?"

He nodded; taking her hand with such gentleness it brought a lump to her throat.

He opened the bracelet and slipped on the charm before re-clasping it and kissing her knuckles, making her laugh.

"Jethro it's beautiful. Thank you."

He smiled and leaned across the table to kiss the smile right off her face.

"Not nearly as beautiful as you."


	4. First Major Fight

_Author's Note-_This one is angsty. And a two parter. So strap in and hang on to your hats. It's not nearly as bad as recent happenings in WTPCBTHY, nowhere near, but it's not great. Also, the charm is both made up, thus no link, and in the next chapter. Can't wait to see what you think. NYLF xx

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_She won't listen to his apologies anymore, but he has to make her understand_

It was starting to get silly.

Every couple fights, it's part of being a couple, but Ziva and Jethro were both such passionate people that, when they fought, they fought hard.

They were both as bad as each other. They knew exactly how to hurt each other.

And boy, did they hurt each other.

It had started at work.

They'd had a stupidly hard case-a child abduction-in their laps and were all working non-stop. They worked it for three days solid.

Every day saw more leads come to nothing. The trail just got colder and colder. Tempers frayed, tension built. The whole team was a powder keg.

The spark came the day after the case.

They had found the little girl, a little worse for wear, but overall not nearly as bad as they thought. Once she was safe at home, the team had gone home and all but collapsed.

Their job was hard, both physically and mentally draining, but anything involving children was also emotionally draining and it really took it out of them.

They didn't talk about it. That was their first mistake.

It wasn't until the next morning, when they had both finally woken up, when it really hit the fan.

They decided to shower together, needing the intimacy and emotional closeness after such a difficult case.

Jethro helped her out of the shirt she had worn the day before, and thus fallen asleep in.

As each button popped open, Ziva saw the look on her fiancé's face turn from slight concern at how tired she was still, and that maybe she had pushed herself to far, to outright concern and hints of anger.

"What's this?" He asked less than softly, holding open each side of her shirt, staring at her abdomen.

Ziva looked down to where he was looking.

Once she realised what he'd seen, she tried desperately to grab each side of the material and pull it back closed.

He wouldn't let her.

"Jethro, it's nothing, please." She murmured, not meeting his eye.

"Ziva, you're black and blue, what happened?" She shook her head and finally managed to pull her shirt closed. She turned her back on him. "Ziva?!"

"It is nothing, I told you."

He pulled her back round by the shoulder and looked her hard in the eye.

"Please." She whispered.

He shook his head and she sighed, knowing he wouldn't let it go until she satisfied his curiosity. She hesitated for another few seconds before sighing once more and gently peeling back her top.

Dark, angry bruises littered the flat plane that was her tummy from the bottom of her bra to an inch above the waistband of her jeans. Each fist sized and they all looked so painful, Jethro nearly winced just looking at them.

"Better? May I either have my shower or get dressed now?" Ziva asked, less than patiently. Jethro ignored her attitude and gently clutched the curve of her waist in his warm hands and smoothed his thumbs over her front.

She winced.

"Jethro, please." She near on whimpered. "You are hurting me."

The simple sentence struck a chord within him and he suddenly pulled back from her.

"When did this happen? Why didn't you tell me?" Ziva shook her head and crossed her arms over her breasts, holding her shirt together as she did so. "Ziva!" The edge in his voice had Ziva meeting his eye.

"Yesterday. I, distracted the kidnapper while Tony saved Angela."

Jethro scoffed.

"'Distracted'? By letting him use you as a human punch bag?"

His tone was incredulous but she could tell his anger was barely being repressed.

This was going to turn into an argument.

"Jethro! She was three! What was I supposed to do? Tony and I could not find an alternative and I..." she petered off, not entirely sure admitting the next part to him was her best plan.

"I volunteered to distract him while Tony got the girl."

Jethro's face contorted into an almost terrifying blend of pain and anger.

"You, you volunteered?" He asked quietly, almost more to himself than her.

Ziva suddenly felt so very exposed.

"W-why?"

"Because she was..." she suddenly lost her confidence at the look in his eye.

"Jethro I do not want to fight with you. Please, can we just shower and eat something before going back to bed?"

He was practically vibrating with anger, it seethed out of every pore, and she so badly needed the situation to diffuse before they argued. She couldn't fight with him; she didn't have the energy-mental, physical or emotional- to have a 'knock down, drag out' with her fiancé right now.

But he shook his head.

"How can you still not think you're worth more than a 'distraction'?!" He seethed.

Ziva's eyes slipped closed of their own accord. She couldn't do this right now.

"Ziva don't just ignore this! Did that man really teach you no more self respect?!"

Ziva suddenly found the strength to fight.

"By 'that man' I assume you mean my father?"

Jethro scoffed.

"Not sure I'd call him that."

"May I remind you that you love me? Without 'that man' I would not be here, so perhaps you should watch, your, tongue."

Jethro looked at her, hard, before smirking.

"I'll give you that Ziva. He fathered you. For that I'm grateful. Only that! He wasn't a father!"

Ziva stalked out of the room. If he wanted to argue, fine. She could argue until she was blue in the face. But bringing up her father was a low down dirty trick. And he knew it.

"Don't walk away from me when I'm speaking to you!" Jethro shouted, coming after her and following her into the bedroom. She spun on the spot and pointed her finger into his face.

"You are speaking to me as if I am your daughter Jethro! I am your fiancé! I am not Kelly!" She had a few cheap shots of her own.

They truly knew how to hurt each other.

It went on for hours. Each of them throwing below-the-belt shots at each other. Ranging everywhere from Kelly to Eli, from this case to Rivkin. He had other things up his sleeve that he could pull out at a moments notice, but no matter how angry he was at her, he never truly meant to hurt her. Somalia, and his leaving her in Israel, stayed off the playlist.

They spent the day drifting between anger and passive aggression. From arguing to ignoring each other.

By the evening, Ziva had had enough.

He came looking for her, ready to fight some more until she saw his point of view, but the argument died in his throat as he saw her packing.

"Where are you going?!" He asked, not quite able to hold together his anger.

"Abby's."

The single word was like a bullet to his heart.

"Like hell you are." Jethro exclaimed, moving to unpack everything she had already packed.

She caught his wrist in her hand and held it firm, halting his actions.

"If you love me at all..." she hissed, tears welling in her eyes and seeping into her voice, "you will let me go."

Jethro's stomach dropped but when she released his hand, he backed off all the same.

"When you come to your senses, I'll be in the basement." He all but growled.

She nodded just the once before he left, listening to her sobbing as he descended the stairs.

He heard the front door slam, and her car drive off at speed, even for her, before he ventured upstairs.

He knew she was angry, but the sight of her charm bracelet on the coffee table brought home just how much trouble he was in.

She hadn't left her ring, but to him, that was a moot point.

Of course, the ring was a symbol of their relationship, of their impending wedding, but that bracelet... It hadn't left her vicinity in all the time she had it.

She hid it at work. He occasionally found her stroking it between her fingers as it lay in her top desk draw, but only when they worked a particularly physical case or it was too hot for sleeves.

It had been her decision to keep it private.

But it was never further than a few feet away from her at all times.

The fact that she'd left that there was almost a bigger statement than leaving her ring.

He spent the next hour, texting her, telling her how sorry he was. She never replied.

The hour after that was spent phoning her mobile, but she'd switched it off.

He even tried Abby more than once but all he got was 'she doesn't want to talk to you Gibbs', 'she's kinda busy crying right now' and his personal favourite 'the second 'b' really does stand for bastard'.

By eighteen hundred, he had realised she wasn't going to listen to his apologies. He had to prove it. He'd go and see her, beg her to forgive the way he'd handled it, plead on his knees if he had to, to get her to put her bracelet back on.

But he had to let her cool off first.

Time to make one quick stop.


	5. First Major Fight II

The knock on Abby's front door came at nine the next morning.

Abby had been awake since eight and was reading on the couch, while Ziva napped beside her.

She'd been up till stupid o'clock crying her eyes out and worried about what the argument had meant for her relationship.

Abby quickly checked that the intrusion hadn't woken Ziva, it hadn't, before carefully getting up from the couch and padding to the door.

She sighed as she looked though the peep hole and saw Jethro.

She debated for a moment before opening the door, a look of frustration set firm on her face.

"She's asleep. Thanks to you, she was up till the wee hours." Abby stated instead of greeting him.

She noticed it looked as if he had barely slept either but she didn't have any sympathy for him.

She'd heard some of the things he'd said to her.

Of course she'd also heard Ziva sob about how guilty she felt over some of the things she had said to him, but in her opinion, he seemed to deserve it.

"Can I come in Abbs? I just wanna apologise, again."

Abby sighed.

"She turned her phone back on at like three this morning. She's read all your texts, listened to all your voice mails. They made her cry, again."

Jethro's heart sank.

"She doesn't want to see me. That what you're saying?"

"Who is it?" The soft call came from the couch.

It faced away from the door and apparently, while Ziva was awake, she didn't have the energy to sit up.

Abby debated for half a second before deciding that Ziva was old enough to decide for herself.

"Gibbs." Ziva's head popped up from behind the back of the couch and her eyes immediately found his.

"You can let him in Abby. I do not mind."

Abby again hesitated but nodded before leaving the door open and going over to Ziva.

"I'll go read in my room for a bit okay? Call if you need me."

Ziva smiled.

"Thank you Abby."

They exchanged smiles before Abby took her leave.

Jethro entered the apartment and hesitated for a moment before making his way over to the couch.

Ziva shot him a cautious smile before sitting up and pressing herself into the far side of the couch.

Jethro sighed before sitting as far into the other side as the arm allowed.

She clearly still needed that bit of distance from him.

"I got your messages." She told him quietly, her voice hoarse from crying all night.

Jethro nodded.

"Abbs said. Didn't mean for them to make you cry."

Ziva shrugged.

"I was tearful anyway. You could have read the phone book into my voice mail, I would have still cried."

He huffed out a feeble laugh at her attempt at a joke. He had a feeling it was rather close to the truth though.

"Shouldn't have acted that way Ziva. Should have heard you out."

"No Jethro. You should have realised that my actions saved a toddler's life."

He nodded.

"Then you should have told me that while you did not like my methods, you were grateful everyone got out alive and relatively unharmed."

He nodded again.

"Then..." her voice faltered. "You should have held me. Told me it was okay. Gotten into the shower with me and enjoyed our time together."

"You're right." Jethro husked, unable to bear that he made this beautiful fierce perfect woman cry all night. "I'm sorry."

Ziva nodded, gently swiping at the lone tear racing down her cheek with her left hand.

Jethro noticed something that had him concerned.

"Ziva?" He asked softly.

She hummed in askance; her actions paused as if she was suddenly frozen like that.

"What did you do to your finger?"

Ziva's brows furrowed as she took her hand from her face before she found what he had seen. Instead of hiding it away like she had yesterday, like he expected her to do today, she gently eased off her engagement ring and held out her hand to him.

"I fiddled with it so much last night, I rubbed my finger raw."

Jethro winced as he gently took her hand in his own and angled it at such that he could see her ring finger better.

The skin was red raw, tiny pinprick blood spots marring the surface of her otherwise perfect skin.

He sighed.

"You debated on whether or not to keep wearing it." It hadn't been a question. He knew that feeling all too well.

She shrugged one shoulder.

"It crossed my mind, once or twice."

Jethro shook his head, still holding her hand.

"That looks like more than once or twice, Beautiful."

She blushed at the unexpected compliment before dropping her eye line to her lap.

"Don't blame ya for questioning it."

She looked up sharply.

Oh.

"Ziva I could never blame you for questioning it. I blew something that was pretty minor into a full blown argument. I was an ass."

Ziva chuckled.

"Yes, yes you were."

Jethro smiled.

"I love you though Ziva. No matter what was said yesterday, I love you."

Ziva nodded but stayed silent for a long moment.

"Your anger came from a place of concern." She mused.

Jethro nodded.

"You shouted because you were scared I valued someone else's life above my own. Again." She finished wryly, receiving another nod.

She shook her head, more to herself than him. "She was a child Jethro, a baby. How could I not put her life above my own?"

He watched her watch him for a moment before dropping her hand and gently cupping her face in his huge palm.

He revelled in the way she almost desperately leaned into his touch.

"Not above Ziva. On a par I could deal with."

She nodded, leaning only further into him.

They sat in silence for a few minutes; the only movement between them was the soothing sweeping motion of Jethro's thumb on her cheek bone.

"I am sorry I left. I just believed we had gotten to a place where one of us would have said something we could not take back. I wanted to prevent that if I could."

He smiled at her.

"Very wise."

She shot him a small, almost pathetic, smile.

"Why'd you leave your bracelet?"

Ziva shuddered.

"I...It means so much to me Jethro. I did not want to taint it by having myself doubt all the things it represents. It was safer to leave it."

She closed her eyes against the torrent of tears building.

"It hurt so much to walk away from you without it."

Jethro gulped.

He leaned in inch by inch, giving her more than enough time to back out, before softly pressing his lips to hers in a whisper of an embrace.

He pulled back when she didn't respond, resting his forehead against hers.

"Hurt to see it laying there. Would have almost preferred to see your ring."

She sobbed against him.

"Ziva let me hold you." His request was barely a whisper.

She hesitated for a few milliseconds before nodding her acquiescence.

His heart soared as he scooped her up and cradled her into his chest, holding tight and rocking them gently.

She cried into his shoulder for several minutes as he held her, whispering sweet nothings in her ear. Once she seemed to have calmed, he gently tipped her into the arm supporting her back and reached into his jacket pocket.

He carefully took out the contents and smiled, knowing for the first time in twenty four hours he'd done the right thing, when her face lit up as she saw her bracelet in his fingers.

"Wanna put this back on you. That okay?" She nodded, a tiny smile playing on her features and dancing in her eyes. He made sure she was sitting upright on her own before taking his hand from around her and ever so gently securing her bracelet back into its rightful place.

She traced it softly, as if it were the most delicate thing she'd ever seen.

"This one is new." She murmured softly after a few seconds inspection.

She smiled brilliantly as she leaned into his chest, letting him hold her close as she slipped her engagement ring back onto her finger and breathed a gentle sigh against his neck. "Can we go home now?"

Jethro laughed.

"Course. Still owe ya a shower, food and a day in bed."

She trembled with the giggled that passed her lips before tucking her face into his neck.

"Want me to carry you?" He asked, slightly shocked.

She nodded and Jethro took it for what it was. She was letting him take care of her.

His heart soared and he took care to get a steady grip without aggravating her still tender mid-section.

He stood and turned to find Abby holding open the door for him. He shot her a smile and she nodded, giving him her own one back.

Ziva was asleep by the time he got her into the car.

He carefully placed her into the passenger seat and buckled her in, before tucking his jacket around her.

He drove them home.

Every second his eyes spent not looking at the road were split between the gentle smile playing on his fiancé's peaceful sleeping face and the brand new charm laying against her wrist, the custom made yellow gold 'Rule 51' glinting in the mid morning sun.


	6. Marriage

_He has just one more gift..._

Jethro slipped out of her and rolled onto his back, before pulling a panting and very satisfied Ziva into his side.

They each laid there for a moment, trying to catch their breath, before Ziva giggled.

Jethro smiled and looked down at the top of her head.

"What's funny?" He asked playfully, amusement overtaking the exhaustion in his voice.

She shook her head before rolling onto her stomach and propping herself up on her elbows so she could look him in the eye.

He grinned at her still flushed, beautiful face and she dissolved into giggles again.

Jethro laughed along with her.

"Ya know..." he started, gently tucking a curl behind her ear with a single finger tip, "giggling at a man, when he's just made you scream his name, could give him the wrong idea."

Ziva shook her head, her giggles fading into a loving smile.

She leaned towards him as if she was about to share some big secret and he found himself moving closer towards her too, despite the fact they were the only two in the room.

"I am your wife." She whispered in his ear with such awe that he couldn't help loving her just a little more.

He laughed, pulling her to him until she was leaning over him, her forearms resting on his chest.

"Just realised that have you?" He chuckled. "Seven hours later and she's just realised."

He shook his head with a sigh, making her laugh again.

"No. I have not 'just realised'."

She poked her tongue out at him.

He laughed.

"It is just..." she trailed off with a shy smile, the colour in her cheeks embarrassment rather than from their exertion.

"What? Tell me Gorgeous, I won't laugh at ya." He promise, smoothing his hand up and down her back.

She smiled softly, her eyes slipping closed as his fingers toyed with her still tingling nerves.

"I cannot believe it." She whispered. "After all this, everything you and I have been through, we are finally husband and wife."

She shook her head with a smile.

"I will never tire of calling myself your wife, Jethro."

He smiled.

"Good. I won't either."

She smiled brilliantly at him before laying her forehead on his abdomen between her arms.

"You alright?"

She nodded, her skin not leaving his.

"It is just sinking in, I suppose."

She sighed before slowly lifting her head to look him in the eye.

"Thank you."

He tilted his head in confusion.

"Why ya thanking me?" He asked quietly.

She gave him a look that said, to her at least, the reason was very obvious.

"For marrying me."

There was such a shyness to it that he couldn't help but pull her up by her biceps and kiss her deeply.

"I'd do it again in a heartbeat."

He whispered his promise against her as he pulled away.

She visibly shivered from it before going back to her original position.

"Got something for ya."

He told her, reaching over the side of the bed to take something out of his pants pocket.

She laughed and shook her head.

"Have you not spoiled me enough today, my Darling?"

He smiled as he lay back down before twisting the bracelet on her right arm until it was at the very bottom of her wrist.

Once in the small gap her arm's position had created, he turned it till he found the clasp and, without letting her see it, fed the latest golden charm onto it and closed the clasp.

"Now, I've spoiled you enough."

He smiled.

"For now, at least."

She granted him a stunning, loving smile before lifting her arm to find the newest addition.

"Jethro." She gasped once she saw it. "H-how?"

Before her, nestled safely on her something old, was an exact replica of her and Jethro's wedding bands.

She tore her eyes away from her wrist to find his eyes, tears sparkling in her own.

Jethro smiled.

"May know someone who does it for a living."

He smiled, a familiar twinkle in his eye.

"May now owe him dinner with my beautiful wife."

Her smile widened as he called her his wife for what must have been the hundredth time since it had become true.

He gently cupped her cheek in his hand.

"You had to know I'd be getting you one-?"

She shrugged.

"To tell you the truth, I was a little preoccupied with other things."

He chuckled.

"It was in the back of my mind that you might. Though I thought perhaps, what with the wedding, and the reception, and our honeymoon..."

She paused, still smiling but dropping her gaze.

"Ziva?" He asked concernedly.

"I thought maybe you would have spent enough on me to not warrant a charm. You made my wedding day perfect." She husked, the happy tears that had been erupting periodically all day, finding their way back into her eyes.

"That is present enough."

He gently stroked her cheek bone with his thumb. Wide sweeping movements from the side of her nose, under her eye, all the way to the side of her face.

"The charms aren't about spending money on you." He murmured. "They're about celebrations, apologies, treasuring you and capturing moments in our lives I wanna remember forever."

She took his steady gaze, drawing strength from the love she found there.

"Why wouldn't I want to do the same for our wedding?"

She shook her head, laying it back against his chest and pressing a soft kiss to the skin she found.

"I love you." She murmured softly.

Jethro fitted his hand across the back of her head, stroking her messy curls with his thumb.

"Love you too."

He felt her smile against him.

"Say it properly." She ordered gently, still more than a little shy about asking for reassurance quite so forthrightly.

Jethro smiled widely before taking his hand from her head and gently slipping his fingers under her chin, directing her face until he could watch her gorgeous chocolate eyes sparkle back at him.

"I love you, Mrs Ziva Gibbs."

She smiled a smile so wide he worried she'd hurt herself, before kneeling up and swinging her leg over him, settling herself securely in his lap.

Jethro smirked, running his eyes appreciatively up and down her lithe, toned body while his hands found the soft as silk skin, at the dip of her waist.

"Already?" He asked playfully.

Ziva gasped before smiling coyly as she felt his body's reaction to the soft weight of her own above him.

"Well." She started, gently fitting them together, eliciting a groan from him and a satisfied sigh from her own lips. "I have to find someway of working off all this money you keep spending on me."

Jethro chuckled, leaning up to kiss her, slipping his tongue into her mouth to wrestle with hers as she gasped at the new angle.

"That's a lot of working off." He murmured against her throat.

She hummed in pleasure as the vibration of his words travelled all the way through her.

"Best get started then."


	7. Pregnant

_He woke to find a positive pregnancy test staring him in the face; she awoke to a gift of her own_

They'd been 'unofficially' trying for months.

There was no big thing made by either of them of making love at certain times or changing anything they did to fit around what made conception most likely.

Nor did they sit together staring at pregnancy tests, praying for a positive result.

Nor did they cry when it became obvious they weren't pregnant.

But none the less, a conversation had occurred.

A very small conversation consisting of Ziva merely saying that if he was okay with it, she'd like to start trying.

He'd amused her no end when he made a big show of throwing out the box of condoms they kept in the top draw of his bedside cabinet and tossing in her birth control pills for good measure.

But yet again, the month came and went and while a little disappointed each time he saw tampons on the shopping list, Jethro realised that if they started stressing about it, it would only get harder.

Ziva seemed to take it better than he did.

She still got that horrid look of disappointment, which lingered in the very edges of her gaze for a few days, but she didn't let it get to her. She carried on as normal, only now slightly more aware of the calendar on her desk and in the kitchen.

They'd almost forgotten they were trying by the time it happened, so when Ziva woke up one morning, not feeling well, they put it down to over-exertion at work and she took the morning off before going in at lunchtime feeling suddenly much better.

Two weeks passed from that morning and Jethro had forgotten all about it, back to back cases occupying his mind and not allowing for much else.

They both fell into bed Friday night, exhausted, and were asleep within minutes, curled in each other's arms.

Saturday morning and Ziva rose with the sun, before rushing to the bathroom to be sick.

Once her stomach was empty and she'd brushed her teeth, she found herself in the kitchen, sipping water and staring at the calendar, just wondering.

Jethro would later question how she managed to get out the house and to the store and back without him noticing, but all logical thought left his head when he woke to find a very positive pregnancy test on its side on his wife's pillow, facing him.

"Good morning, Jethro." Ziva murmured from her place leaning against the window behind him.

He reached for the test, and held it for a moment, before turning to face her and sitting up.

"Morning Beautiful." He murmured. "You forget something when you got up this morning?" He teased softly.

Ziva smiled.

"I have no idea how that got there."

He chuckled before holding out his arm and pulling her into his lap when she got close enough.

"You sure this is right?"

There was a hesitant elation in his eyes that made Ziva's heart flutter.

"Well, that is number six so, I presume so." She told him with a self-aware smirk.

He laughed out loud and tipped her into the bed, smothering her face in kisses, the test never leaving his hand even as he linked it with hers while they celebrated, twice.

They spent the day talking about the logistics of her being pregnant, when they would tell people, how work would work, and the such but neither of them stopped smiling.

Sunday morning, it was Jethro who was up early, though not quite as early as she had been.

When Ziva woke up she found herself curled into a very much awake Jethro's side, with an A4 sized box between them.

"Morning." Jethro husked when he felt her breathing change signalling that she was awake.

"Mmm, good morning." She sat up and leaned heavily into him, reveling in his strong, warm arm around her shoulder. "What's this?"

Jethro shrugged.

"Guess you better open it and find out."

Ziva shook her head with a smile before sitting up slightly more independently. She carefully picked up the box and brought it into her lap before shooting him a questioning look.

"Just open it Ziva."

She chuckled before looking down at it once more, carefully tracing the thick yellow ribbon decorating the lid.

He watched her in fascination as her eyes followed her finger's exploration.

He let her have the moment, knowing that she was committing the moment to memory before she slipped off the lid of the box.

Ziva gasped.

Folded inside the box was a tiny newborn sleep suit.

It was crystal white with bold purple letters saying 'If you think I'm cute, you should see my Mommy!"

Ziva chuckled thickly, gently tracing a finger just above the satin soft material.

"You can touch it y'know." Jethro smiled, watching as a beautifully shy smile curved her lips as she lifted out the suit with such a level of gentleness, you would have thought their child was already wearing it.

A soft metal on cardboard thump attracted her attention as she looked back down at the box on her lap.

"Couldn't resist, either of them." Jethro explained softly while Ziva carefully set aside the sleep suit and picked up the dainty charm he had hidden beneath it; a baby pink plus sign.

"Oh." She breathed, unable to voice the emotions running through her head.

Jethro smiled.

"Want me to put it on or you wanna stare some more first?"

It was a genuine question.

The amount of times he'd go to talk to her while they were at home and he'd find her engrossed in staring at her bracelet, he knew how she loved to find each and every minuet detail.

She was silent for a few more seconds before holding it out in her open palm.

Jethro smiled at her warmly, taking the charm in between his fingers and sliding it onto her bracelet, kissing the inside of her wrist over the clasp once he was done.

"Thank you Jethro, for them both."

He smiled, cupping her cheek in his hand.

"Thank you for your gift too." He laid his spare hand low on her abdomen as he leaned in, drawing her in for a lazy kiss.


	8. Moving In

_The lease on her apartment is finally up and she has no intention of renewing it_

Jethro watched as Ziva stood in the doorway of the room they had decided would become the nursery.

She leaned against the door frame, her left hand crossed under her bust while the right was curled in a fist against her lips.

Every so often she would tap her fist against her mouth in contemplation.

He just knew she was decorating in her head.

They had both decided it was way too early to start the actual decoration or to even start picking anything out and planning but, he knew her; she couldn't help it.

The arm she'd had crossed, absently slid down her body until her hand rested on her still pancake flat stomach.

Jethro couldn't help the smile that bloomed on his face.

"I can feel you watching me." Ziva murmured, not moving from her position or turning to face him. "It is creepy."

Jethro laughed.

"Can't help it. You're gorgeous."

Ziva chuckled.

"Sap."

Jethro chuckled back at her, shaking his head as he came up to stand beside her.

"Says the woman mentally decorating the nursery, while stroking her not yet formed bump."

Ziva looked up at him in confusion and he nodded to her hand. Her eyes followed the motion.

Once she saw what her hand was doing she slowly moved it into her pocket, a gentle smile playing on her face.

"Shush."

Jethro laughed and moved so he was behind her, leaning his chin on her shoulder.

"How you feeling today?"

The morning sickness seemed to be a once in a blue moon type thing but when it hit her, it would knock her out pretty hard.

"Not bad. A little queasy but I am yet to be sick."

Jethro nodded slowly.

"I have been thinking."

"Sounds ominous." He murmured.

Ziva smiled slowly.

"Good thinking." She assured him.

He smiled.

"Okay, go on."

"We are married."

Jethro chuckled.

"Glad you noticed."

He pulled back to lean on the opposite side of the door frame so he could watch her face.

She poked her tongue out at him, making him smile.

"And we are pregnant."

Jethro smiled broadly.

She had never once said that _she_ was pregnant, telling him that he was as much a part of this as she was.

"And yet, on paper, I still live somewhere else."

Jethro nodded, it had been bugging him too.

"So I have been thinking." She shrugged.

"Wanna share with the class?"

She rolled her eyes before staring at the room again.

"My lease is up in two weeks. My landlord would like to know if I am renewing. I'd like to tell him no."

Jethro smiled softly before pulling her into his arms.

"Ya really think I'd say no Ziva?"

She shook her head before leaning it against his chest, facing the floor, shy all of a sudden.

"Move in with me." He murmured.

Ziva's head shot up, something beautiful sparkling in her eyes.

"Think we're kinda doing this in the wrong order, but I should be the one asking you and that's what I'm doing. So move in with me."

Ziva's smile was so beautiful, it made Jethro's heart skip a beat.

"Marriage, becoming pregnant and then moving in, I think you may have a point with the wrong order thing."

She chuckled and he flashed her a smile.

"I would love to move in with you Jethro. Especially seeing as most of my stuff is here anyway." She laughed even as his hand settled at the back of her head and drew her in for a slow passionate kiss.

"I love you." She whispered against his lips.

"Love you too." He assured her before leaning back in to capture her lips again.

Once he had pulled back, he gently turned her so her back was to his chest.

He linked his hands around the very base of her stomach, right where her hand had been earlier, and she leaned her head back into his chest.

"Actually, I was planning on asking you to not renew it and move in properly." Jethro smiled, leaning down to press his lips to the top of her head.

"Oh?"

"You've been dropping hints for weeks." He chuckled.

Ziva laughed, a soft rose blush rising in her cheeks.

"Got you something. Well, two things." He smiled before moving one of his hands to his jeans pocket.

He took out a shiny new key ring, complete with a purple Z and two house keys; front and back.

"Doors are never locked but it's the thought that counts."

Ziva laughed happily, taking the key ring from him and turning the keys over in her hand.

"The second thing, I'm gonna need your wrist for."

Ziva smile knowingly before holding out her wrist for him.

He held up the tiny white gold key for her to see, before slipping it onto her charm bracelet.

"Thought it was only fair."

She chuckled quickly, emotion building in her throat.

He felt her chest constrict before she sobbed just once, turned into him and buried her face in his chest.

Jethro wrapped his arms around her back and held her close.

"Hormones?" He asked softly.

Ziva nodded.

"And you." She told him tearfully.

Jethro laughed.

"Me?"

She nodded.

"If you were less perfect, I would cry less."

Jethro pondered that for a moment before laying his cheek against her crown.

"First time I've heard that one, but I'll take it."

They both chuckled.

"You need to start locking your door." Ziva murmured a few minutes later.

"How come?" Jethro asked softly.

He felt Ziva smile against his chest.

"So I can use my key."


	9. Starting To Show

_Author's Note-_I really hope this doesn't go over people's heads NYLF xx

* * *

_She was either going to laugh, or kill him..._

Jethro ran into the bedroom, doing up his belt as he went, before stopping still in the doorway.

They were running late and Ziva was still in her bra.

"Ziva." He groaned. "We have to leave in five minutes and you're half dressed."

She turned to face him, teary eyed, and he was immediately at her side.

"What's wrong? What is it?"

Ziva shook her head quickly.

"I..." she stuttered. "I... I am..." she tried again before dropping her head and facing the mirror in front of her rather than her husband.

"Ziva?" Jethro asked gently. "What's happened? Are you alright?"

He refrained from asking about the baby.

He was making a conscious effort to remember she came first.

She nodded slowly.

"I just..." she sighed, turning into his body and dropping her head to his shoulder.

Jethro wrapped his arms around her, no longer worried about the time.

"Ziva, what's the matter?"

She murmured into his shoulder and Jethro chuckled, gently kissing her temple.

"Need ya to speak up."

She lifted her head slowly, facing him.

There were still tears in her eyes but it wasn't sadness he found in her gaze, it was something much more beautiful and far less definable.

"I have started showing." She practically breathed.

Jethro's eyes inevitably left hers to look at her stomach.

She was right.

He could just see the tiny beginnings of her baby bump.

Jethro beamed.

"And that made you cry?"

She shrugged self-consciously.

"I am hormonal." She offered shyly.

Jethro met her eye and smiled, before pulling her in by her chin for a slow, adoring kiss.

"We are going to be late." He whispered when they separated, knowing the last thing she needed right now was sweet words from him; they would only make her cry.

She looked at the watch on her wrist before quickly pulling on a shirt and following him out the door.

It was lunchtime before either of them had a chance to sit down, their case keeping them busy all morning.

Jethro found her in the break room, her left hand gently stroking her tiny bump while she ate with the right.

He smiled as he watched her, fascinated by how impending motherhood had already softened some of her sharp edges.

He slowly made his way over to her, pressing a kiss to her neck as he laid a black jewellery box on the table in front of her.

She leaned into his touch, humming softly, before looking down to the box when he pulled away to sit next to her.

"What's this?" She asked, pushing her lunch aside so as to give him, and his present, her full attention.

"A gift." He told her cryptically.

She rolled her eyes.

"Funnily enough, I got that bit."

He smiled softly.

"Promise not to kill me."

Ziva's eyebrows shot into her hairline as her gaze danced between him and the box.

He nodded to it and, shooting him a look, she opened the lid.

Sat right in the middle was a completely white gold 'Mr Bump' character charm.

Ziva's jaw slackened as she looked at it.

"Is this you being funny?" She asked, her tone and face neutral, not giving anything away.

Jethro shrugged.

"If you find it funny then yes. If not, it's me being an idiot and I'll take it back." He hedged quietly, watching her face for any indication as to which way this would go.

Ziva stared at it for a long moment, them both silent for several minutes, before Ziva's face transformed into a smile.

She shook her head, chuckling.

Jethro breathed a sigh of relief.

"You like it?" He asked just to confirm the suspicion.

Ziva nodded.

"I love it."

Jethro beamed and kissed her deeply, deeper than either of them usually would at work.

When he pulled back he noticed, with no small amount of satisfaction, that Ziva looked slightly dazed.

"Glad it's cold today." Jethro smiled.

"Why?" Ziva asked, still trying to get her bearings back after that kiss.

"Means you're wearing long sleeves. That means you're wearing your bracelet."

Ziva beamed.

She was so used to the weight of it on her wrist, she'd forgotten she was even wearing it.

She carefully rolled her sleeve up, exposing the bracelet to him.

"Will you put it on?"

Jethro nodded, gently taking her hand before slipping on the charm and doing the clasp back up.

He gently rolled her sleeve back down and kissed her palm before placing her hand back on the table.

"It is beautiful, Jethro." Ziva gushed, gently turning the charm over and over again in her fingers.

"I love you, Ziva." He dropped his voice. "Both of ya."

Ziva smiled, her eyes sparkling.

"We love you too."


	10. Birth

_As she carefully slipped their newborn child into his arms, he nodded to the box on the table beside her. _

She didn't scream, or shout, or curse, or blame him.

But she did cry, a whimper, and hold onto his sleeve so tightly, her knuckles blanched and she drew blood on her palm, even through the material.

Jethro could only watch on, telling her how well she was doing, how it would all be over soon.

It had broken his heart to see her in so much pain and knowing there was nothing he could do.

He tried not to think of his part in creating their child at this point, being even the tiniest part involved in making her go though this made him feel sick.

She did so well though.

In just four hours, albeit the longest four hours of either of their lives, Ziva brought their tiny, screaming, beautiful baby girl into the world.

She'd collapsed back onto the pillow, rolling her head to find Jethro's eyes, shooting him a soft, exhausted smile while he smoothed back her hair and kissed her forehead, murmuring how very proud of her he was against her skin.

A few hours later, after everything had been cleaned up and the team had all come and gone, Ziva laid in her hospital bed, staring down at her tiny daughter, her huge ice blue eyes staring right back at her.

"Thought you'd be asleep." Jethro murmured softly as he came back into the room after phoning his dad to tell him the good news.

Ziva smiled but didn't look up from the baby.

"I was. She woke up a few minutes ago."

Jethro nodded.

He made his way over to the seat beside her, and slowly leaned over to rest his arm against the side of her bed.

"She okay?"

Ziva nodded slowly.

"She is so beautiful Jethro."

He smiled, gently touching his fingertip to his daughter's right palm, the only part of her not securely swaddled.

She grasped his finger tightly, still not looking away from her mother.

"Think she's smitten."

Ziva smiled, looking up to find her husband's soft loving eyes.

"As am I."

Jethro smiled and stood before kissing his wife gently.

"May I?" He asked as they separated.

Ziva nodded.

"Of course."

She carefully lifted her arms as Jethro slotted his beneath them and they expertly manoeuvred the baby from her arms to his.

Ziva watched on as Jethro held their daughter close, smiling down at her, gently stroking her face with the side of his finger as she lay, perfectly content in the crook of his arm.

"Can't ever thank you enough for her Ziva."

Ziva shook her head.

"Do not be silly. She is as much your gift to me as mine to you."

Jethro smiled at her before watching as their child fought to stay awake.

"She is too busy admiring her handsome daddy to fall asleep." Ziva chuckled. "So much like me already."

Jethro laughed softly, trying not to jolt the fast falling into slumber infant.

"Got you something."

He nodded to the box on the cabinet between her bed and the chair he'd been using.

Ziva sighed.

"You did not have to Jethro." She reminded him softly.

Jethro smiled.

"After everything you've been though today." He grimaced, flashbacks of her tear stained face, screwed up in pain and concentration. "Though you deserved a treat."

Ziva shook her head with a smile.

"Thank you."

He nodded to the box again and she chuckled.

She reached for the box slowly, muscles she didn't even know she had protesting at the movement.

"How about we do not do this again for a while hmm?" Ziva winced as she sat back in the middle of her bed.

Jethro shot her a sympathetic look.

"I can deal with that."

They exchanged smiles before Ziva's attention went to the box as Jethro watched her, confident that their infant daughter would be asleep for a while, at least long enough so he could watch his wife open her present.

A lump formed in Ziva's throat as she opened the box and took the tiny baby rattle out.

"Oh Jethro, it is so beautiful."

The head of the white gold rattle was decorated in tiny rose gold spots while the handle had a candy stripe pattern.

"Thought you'd like it."

Ziva chuckled thickly, tears bubbling in her throat.

"Didn't want it to make you cry." He sighed.

Ziva shook her head quickly.

"Happy tears. Hormones."

She held the charm by the top and twirled it.

"I love it Jethro. Thank you."

Jethro smiled, making his way over to kiss her gently.

"I'll put it on your bracelet in the morning."

Her bracelet was currently in his pants pocket, she hadn't wanted to be too far away from it.

She nodded.

"Try to get some sleep Beautiful. You've had a long day."

Ziva nodded slowly, slipping down the bed and getting as comfortable as she could.

"You are going to stay right?" She asked softly, a hint of vulnerability in her tone.

Jethro smiled warmly and shook his head.

"Not going anywhere Ziva, neither of us."

Ziva smiled before letting her eyes slip closed.

Jethro watched her sleep for a few moments before rounding her bed and slowly, reluctantly, lowering his daughter into her bassinet.

"Nun-night Angel." He whispered softly, pressing the gentlest of kisses to her forehead. "Mommy and Daddy love you so much."


	11. First Time Home

_Author's Note-_In case anyone was worried, When The Past isn't on hiatus and I am working on it, the next chapter is just giving me some trouble. I envisage it being finished and uploaded by the weekend though so no panicking needed. Also, anyone watch Castle? I've just uploaded a Castle story called Nevaeh, feel free to read that if it tickles your fancy. Meanwhile however, read, review and enjoy this :D NYLF xx

* * *

_They were bringing their tiny baby home for the first time, it called for a commemoration _

Ziva slid the key into the lock and opened the door, slowly pushing it open before making her way through to the living room.

Jethro followed shortly after, the baby bag slung over his shoulder while their tiny three day old daughter slept in her car seat in his right hand.

Ziva smiled warmly as Jethro gently sat the car seat down before dropping the bag beside the couch and flopping onto it.

Ziva chuckled at him before ever so gently lifting out the sleeping infant and pulling her close, cradling her securely into her chest.

Once the baby was settled in her arms, Ziva lowered herself slowly to sit beside her husband.

"Home sweet home." Jethro sighed, wrapping his arm around her shoulders, bringing her into the side of his body.

Ziva hummed contentedly, her eyes not leaving their daughter.

"She won't disappear y'know?" Jethro joked softly.

"Hmm?"

"If you stop looking at her." He laughed, smiling down at the tiny bundle in his wife's arms.

Ziva chuckled.

"Sorry, she is just so perfect. I cannot stop looking at her."

Jethro smiled.

He knew the feeling.

He had struggled to keep his eyes on the road rather than watching the two most important women in his life sat in the back seat.

"Glad you're happy Ziva." Jethro sighed, tucking her in closer while his other hand came across him to gently play with his daughter's minuscule fingers.

Ziva smiled up at him.

"I am holding our child Jethro, how could I possibly be anything else?"

Jethro kissed her softly until they were interrupted by the beginnings of a cry from the little person between them.

"Embarrassing you already Gabby, huh?"

Jethro shook his head at his wife, both of them chuckling.

"We are sorry Gabriella, we will stop now." Ziva murmured, gently bouncing the baby in order to try and soothe her.

Jethro chuckled.

"Three days old, we're already wrapped around her little finger."

Ziva laughed.

"How could we not be Jethro? I am wrapped around yours."

Jethro looked at her with a start.

"You are?"

Ziva laughed.

"Of course."

Jethro smiled.

"She looks too much like you to not have me under the thumb."

Ziva's laughter faded into a soft loving smile before she carefully held her hand over her daughter's eyes, so as not to embarrass her further, and kissed Jethro quickly, making him laugh.

"I cannot believe we are home."

She shook her head, gently stroking her finger down Gabby's cheek.

"Glad we are though." Jethro murmured, entranced by mother and daughter.

Ziva nodded.

"Mhmm."

Jethro chuckled before pulling the baby bag onto his lap and rifling through one of the many, many compartments until he found what he was looking for.

His fingers closed around the velvet box he had stashed in there earlier and he quickly pulled it out, wedging it between the side of the couch and his leg before putting the bag back.

"Say Ziva?" He started softly.

Ziva slowly tore her eyes away from the hypnotic blue of her daughter's before facing him.

"Yeah?"

Jethro smiled.

"Can I take her for a moment?"

Ziva nodded and carefully placed their baby into her daddy's arms.

Jethro smiled down at his daughter before carefully laying her half on his lap, half in his arm, so she was angled upright enough to watch her mommy and so he had one hand free to retrieve the box.

He gently placed it on his wife's knee with a smile.

Ziva smiled at him softly.

"Jethro. You have already given me something for her birth; you do not need to keep spoiling me."

Jethro shrugged.

"You said on our wedding night that you needed to work off all the money I was spending."

Ziva nodded, not entirely sure where he was going with this.

"Well ya did that, and then some, with four hours of labour. Now I need to work off _that_ by spending more money."

Ziva rolled her eyes at him.

"You are sweet."

He smiled widely, making her laugh.

"Good. Now open it so Gabs can go back to sleep."

Ziva looked down to find Gabby's eyes following the light shining off her bracelet on her wrist.

Ziva chuckled, gently tapping Gabby's nose, making her go cross eyed for a second, making both her parents laugh.

"Okay." Ziva smiled, lifting the box into her palm.

Her eyes flitted between her husband, her child and the box before she finally opened it.

She gasped, tears springing in her eyes.

A rose gold letter G sat before her.

"Oh Jethro."

"Didn't know what we were gonna have, let alone call her, when I brought the last one. Thought you had to have her initial on it somewhere. It's from both of us."

Ziva laughed, despite the tears filling her eyes.

"It's beautiful."

She kissed him deeply before lifting Gabby out of her father's arms and kissing her sloppily and hugging her gently.

"Thank you baby girl." She husked in her ear. "Mommy loves you so much Tateleh."

Jethro smiled.

"You gonna let me put it on?"

Ziva smiled and shifted Gabby into the crook of her arm before extending her wrist to her husband.

Jethro slipped on the charm with no fuss, he was getting quite good at it now, before kissing her hand and letting it go.

He gently smoothed his hand over the back of his daughter's head.

"Got her one too. Bracelet and charm. Thought we could start collecting for her, it'd be a nice present when she's older."

Ziva nodded, fighting yet more tears, as she hugged Gabby closer.

"I love you both so much." She murmured, locking eyes with Jethro.

"We love you too."

Ziva smiled.

"Come on, maybe you should have a nap once we put Gabby to bed."

Ziva nodded, allowing him to take the baby while she got up.

Ziva sang softly to her daughter as Jethro carefully laid her in her bassinet beside their bed, thanking anyone and everyone that this was their new reality.


	12. First Word

_Author's Note-_Just a quick reminder that some of these charms have links on my profile, this one included. Enjoy, NYLF xx

* * *

_Gabby is such a daddy's girl..._

Ziva sat on the couch, pulling silly faces at Gabby as she sat in her bouncer on the coffee table, her mother keeping a very close eye on her to make sure the seven month old didn't bounce her way right off. Gabby was giggling madly at her mother's antics, her infectious little laugh drawing out chuckles from her mother.

Gabby hadn't been very well, a high fever and cough putting her out of sorts for near on a week.

With their precious baby girl poorly and grumpy, refusing to settle for anyone but her parents, Ziva had taken the time off work.

Gabby was their priority, she had to be.

Jethro still had to work of course.

The MCRT couldn't function with only two agents- not taking into account Jethro's seniority- but both Tony and Tim, as Gabby's surrogate uncles, made sure Jethro was able to go home at five, even if that meant themselves having to work half the night.

Ziva quickly glanced down at her watch, four fifty five; Jethro should be home within half an hour if traffic behaved.

She couldn't wait.

Spending time with their daughter was the highlight of Ziva's day.

Staring into her huge blue eyes, which were still so adorably too big for her face, did make her miss her husband though.

Ziva sighed before quickly replacing her smile.

"Your Dada will be home soon, Sweetheart." She told Gabby, making her voice as animated as possible, making the little girl giggle again.

"My giggly baby."

Gabby kicked her feet wildly, causing her whole body to bounce in her bouncer, making her only giggle harder.

Ziva smiled.

Suddenly Gabby stopped giggling and stared past Ziva's shoulder, smiling a huge toothless smile around her fist that barely left her mouth.

"What is it, Tateleh? What can you see?" Ziva asked, turning to look through the window, trying to determine what had elicited such a reaction from her daughter.

She smiled as her eyes landed on Jethro as he exited his car and made his way to the front door.

"Is your daddy home early Gabriella?" She asked in a sing song voice that had the baby giggling once more.

Jethro let himself in and made his way straight to the living room, the infectious, heart warming sound of his daughter's laughter drawing him like a siren song.

The moment she could see him, Gabby lifted her little podgy arms out, reaching for her daddy, a huge smile on her face.

"Dada's so happy to see _you_ baby girl!" Jethro smiled as he lifted his daughter out of her bouncer and cradled her close.

Ziva smiled as Gabby laid her head in the crook of her daddy's neck and went silent, a smile that could only be described as complete contentment plastered on her face.

"Mama's happy to see you too."

Jethro chuckled, shifting Gabby into one arm and reaching for his wife with the other, drawing her into his chest just as soon as she was close enough.

They enjoyed the moment, Ziva just breathing in her husband, Jethro holding both his girls close while Gabby entertained herself by taking her daddy's polo shirt into her fist tightly before bringing it to her mouth.

Ziva chuckled and Jethro looked down to watch his cheeky little girl.

"Do I taste nice Gabby?"

She smiled around her mouthful of fist and cotton and he took it as a yes.

Both of her parent's laughed before Jethro swung her off his shoulder and faced her outwards, putting one hand under her bottom while the other splayed across her chest, holding her into his.

"Someone's feeling better I see." Jethro chuckled as Gabby kicked her legs, giggling manically as Ziva caught them and tickled her feet.

Ziva smiled.

"Her fever broke around ten; she has been nothing but smiles since then."

Jethro smiled, coming to sit beside his wife on the couch, sitting Gabby on his lap as he did.

"Glad to hear it, Dada doesn't like it when you're poorly Baby."

"Dada."

Gabby giggled at her mother's slack jawed expression, her eyes flitting from Gabby to Jethro, whose expression mirrored her own.

"Gabriella, did you just speak?" Ziva asked incredulously.

She'd been babbling for months, she was a complete chatterbox, even giving her pseudo aunt Abby a run for her title, but she had never formed words before.

"Gabs." Jethro started, the deep timbre of his voice making the little girl tilt her head back to find his face. "Say 'Dada' again."

Gabby's smile dimmed before she dipped her head and shoved her fist back into her mouth, suddenly shy.

"Sweetheart?" Ziva started softly, gently stroking Gabby's cheek with the back on her finger. "Say 'Dada'."

Gabby grabbed her mother's finger with her slobbery fist and hung on.

"Dada."

It was less confident but there. Ziva laughed, picking Gabby up and kissing her sloppily.

Gabby giggled, apparently over her stage fright.

"Dada, Dada, Dada." She chanted.

Jethro laughed deeply, taking her from her mother before holding her up and blowing a raspberry on her tummy, making her squeal with delight.

Later, once they had both put Gabby to bed, having listened to her chant 'Dada' over and over all day, Jethro and Ziva lay in bed, Ziva curled into Jethro's chest, his arm around her.

"You alright?" Jethro asked softly, stroking the strip of skin her top moving had exposed with his fingertips.

Ziva nodded.

"I will admit, I am a little jealous." She chuckled.

Jethro laughed.

"No need to be jealous."

Ziva smiled softly, propping herself up on her elbow so she could meet his eye.

"I know. I shall just hope the next one says 'Mama'."

Jethro looked at her a bit stunned.

"You want more?"

Ziva nodded.

"One more perhaps, not any time soon though." She smiled.

Jethro smiled back, leaning up to kiss her softly.

"She's been babbling so much lately, was really only a matter of time till she said her first word."

Ziva nodded.

"I was not surprised she has started talking, I was just not expecting it." She frowned. "Does that make sense?"

Jethro chuckled.

"Yeah."

They lapsed into comfortable silence for a few moments.

"There's a box for you in my top draw." Jethro murmured.

Ziva smiled, leaning across his chest to open the draw and find the box, Jethro's hand holding her shoulder securely to ensure she didn't fall.

Once her fingers closed around the box, she withdrew it and settled back into bed beside him.

She looked to him and he nodded, before she pried open the box.

"Oh Jethro, you did not have too."

Ziva gently fingered the cool white gold before her.

Three baby's building blocks sat in a pile, the top one showing two sides, a C and a B etched on them, while the bottom two had one side showing, the letters reading A and D.

"I love it."

Jethro smiled, kissing her slowly.

"Good."

Ziva extended her wrist and Jethro slid the charm on with practised ease before they both settled in for the night, their dreams filled with their beautiful Gabriella.


	13. Anniversary

_Author's Note_-So technically, this should have come before First Word, and maybe Gabby shouldn't be in it at all, but hey ho. Don't try to work out the timings, just bask in the fluffiness of it all :D NYLF xx

* * *

_One year later and he still can't believe she's his..._

Jethro and Ziva dropped Gabby off at Abby's for the night, Ziva leaving strict instructions to call if anything happened, and Jethro saying that he knew Abby had it covered and she should only call if she couldn't handle it herself.

Needless to say, he hadn't shared that advice with his wife.

But it was their one year wedding anniversary and, while he understood this was the first overnight Gabby had had, and the longest either of them had been away from her in her entire life, he wanted to celebrate with his wife with as little interruption as possible.

Especially as he had a surprised planned for her.

Jethro took both of Ziva's hands and carefully helped her up the path, talking the whole way so she didn't trip on anything.

Blindfolds made walking steadily hard.

Once they reached the top of the path, Jethro dropped both her hands.

"Jethro?" She asked slightly apprehensively.

Jethro quickly pressed his chest into her back and wrapped his arms around her waist from behind.

"'S okay Ziva. I'm right here."

Ziva shuddered as the deep low tone of his voice skittered down her spine.

"Want you to close your eyes; don't open them until I say, okay?"

Ziva nodded against his shoulder.

"Good."

Jethro slowly brought his hands up to the bow holding together the two ends of her blindfold.

Carefully pulling it apart, he held the ends for a moment, taking in a deep breath, inhaling the gorgeous blend of mangos, Shea butter and sandal wood that made up the scent that was uniquely his wife.

He smiled to himself as he pulled off her blindfold and leant in to whisper against her ear.

"You can open them now."

With one more shudder, Ziva opened her eyes and gasped at the scene before her.

They were at the top of a hill, she'd gathered that from the walk up, and they had a perfect view of where the sun would be setting in just a few minutes.

"Jethro?" She asked on an exhale, turning her head to find his gaze.

She found him smiling at her, so much love shining in his eyes that her heart fluttered.

"Happy Anniversary, Ziva Gibbs."

She choked a laughed, disbelief, emotion and love all colouring the sound.

Jethro pressed an unreciprocated kiss to her parted lips, his wife apparently still in shock, and squeezed her lightly before retracting himself from her grip.

She hadn't even noticed the picnic blanket and basket yet.

She followed him just a moment later, falling to her knees beside him on the blanket where Jethro was placing take out boxes from their favourite Italian.

Ziva chuckled.

"You know my cooking just about extends to steak." Jethro smiled, making her shake her head and chuckle.

"I have tasted your cooking, Jethro."

"Right then."

Ziva rolled her eyes; that hadn't been what she meant and he knew it.

Once Jethro had produced silverware, he leaned against the tree behind him and drew Ziva into his side.

They ate in silence, watching as the sun slowly sank into the horizon going out in a blaze of rich oranges, yellows and pinks.

The light was fading fast when Jethro pulled out more from his basket of tricks.

Candles, silver candle sticks and a box of matches came next.

Ziva giggled as he lit and arranged the candles around the two of them, allowing just enough light for them to see each other before dipping back into the basket.

Champagne, glasses and chocolate covered strawberries.

Ziva laughed.

"Wow. You really went all out huh?"

Jethro gave her a soft smile.

"First one should be special." He shrugged.

He poured them both a glass of champagne before retrieving one last item; a purple velvet box.

Ziva sipped her drink slowly, watching him over the rim with a gentle smile.

Jethro chuckled before picking up the biggest strawberry and holding it level with her beautiful smile.

Ziva's eyebrows shot up.

"You are kidding, yes?"

Jethro shook his head, a smile playing on his lips.

Ziva giggled, a little shy all of a sudden.

Jethro gently laid his hand on her knee.

"Okay. But you can no longer deny it when I call you a sap."

Jethro smiled.

"Wouldn't dream of it."

Ziva chuckled before opening her mouth.

Jethro slowly slid the berry into it and watched her jaw working with lust, love and fascination as she sucked off the chocolate before biting into the berry slowly, maintaining eye contact at all times.

She laughed around her mouthful as he groaned, taking the rest of the strawberry and dropping it onto his own mouth.

They continued their game, each taking turns feeding each other, until all the berries were gone.

Ziva laid back against his chest, having found herself in the V of this thighs several minutes before, with a soft sigh.

"This has been so perfect, Jethro."

He smiled behind her, pressing a kiss onto her crown.

"Still got your present to open."

Ziva chuckled.

"I swear we agreed no presents this year. I thought Gabriella was gift enough?"

Jethro smiled.

"Not really a present if you're expecting it."

Ziva's smile softened.

"You still surprise me, every time." She assured him quietly.

Jethro wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close for a brief moment before leaning over and grabbing the box he'd gotten out earlier, dropping it in her outstretched palm as he settled back down.

Ziva inhaled deeply, she was feeling emotional enough tonight at all the effort he had gone to, this was more than likely to make her cry.

Jethro could feel the emotion coming off her in waves and slowly smoothed his arms up and down her arms, resting his chin on her shoulder.

Grounded by his touch, Ziva slowly opened the box and smiled widely, despite feeling the moisture already building in her eyes.

Before her sat a tiny '1' in yellow gold, an almost pinprick diamond on the very top point.

"Jethro." She breathed softly. "It is beautiful, and..." she trailed off with a shake of her head. "What did I do to deserve you?"

Jethro smiled, rolling his head to kiss her neck in a butterfly kiss.

"I ask myself the same question every single day."


	14. Business Trip

_Author's Note-_So, seriously in need of ideas for this. I only have one more pre-written. So feel free to message me or to put your ideas in with your review. :D Thank you. NYLF xx

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_Sometimes he forgets just how proud of his wife he is..._

"Please, Jethro. Do not turn this into an argument." Ziva practically begged quietly, as she folded the shirt she was holding and placed it into her bag, open on their bed.

"I'm not." Jethro insisted, equally quietly, more than a little aware of the fact that Gabby was asleep peacefully in the next room for the first time in almost twenty four hours.

"Then give me your blessing and let me go. It is not as if I have a choice in this."

Ziva sat beside the bag on their bed.

"Can't do that Ziva."

Ziva put her head in her hands, sighing.

"Do you not think if I had a choice I would be staying here, with you and Gabriella? You really think my first choice is to spend a week in Israel? If the director had not asked me personally to go, Jethro, I would not be going."

Jethro crouched before her, gently taking her hands away from her face and holding them in his own.

"Ziva. Look at me."

Ziva lifted her head and caught his eye, making Jethro's heart constrict when he saw the banked worry in her eyes.

"Can't give you my blessing. You know how I feel about you going anywhere, especially Israel, especially while Gabs is still so young."

Ziva nodded.

They had had so many conversations on how her occasional foreign communications work would affect Gabby.

"But..." he started, dropping her hands to gently cup her face, smoothing his thumb under the dark smudges developing under her eyes. "Won't tell you not to."

Ziva smiled softly.

"I do not want to leave on bad terms with you."

Jethro smiled.

"I know."

"I will call whenever I can."

Jethro nodded.

"And I will expect you to put Gabriella on the line."

Jethro smiled.

"Course."

Ziva chuckled.

"Love you Ziva."

Ziva leaned forward and captured her husband's mouth in a deep loving kiss.

"And I love you."

Ziva left early the next morning, even before Jethro or Gabby were awake, leaving a note telling them how much she loved them and how she'd call when she landed.

They talked almost every day.

Ziva never told him anything about her purpose in Israel, nor did Jethro ask. They simply talked about how each of them were doing, this being the longest they had been apart from each other since before they were married, and about their daughter.

The week dragged on, but was soon over.

Ziva managed to convince Jethro that she would get a cab from the airport, it would be late and she didn't want to drag Gabby out if she didn't have to.

They compromised and Jethro agreed that she would take a cab, and he would have her dinner on the table for when she arrived.

Ziva thought she had never heard anything better.

Ziva unlocked the front door, Jethro had developed the habit of locking the house up once she had asked shortly after they had found out they were pregnant, and dropped her bag before hanging up her coat and leaning against the inside of the door.

She just leaned there for a few minutes, breathing in the scents of home, it had always calmed her in too many ways to mention.

Once she had gotten her bearings back, she made her way through to the dinning room.

She halted in her step and gasped as she took in the table.

Two candles flickered, giving the room a comforting glow, a single red rose standing in a glass between them.

Two plates were set up, as well as two very generous glasses of what she guessed, from the smell of it, was her favourite red wine.

She took a sip, confirming her suspicions, before Jethro came out of the kitchen, a smile on his face, a dish of her favourite pasta dish in one hand, a small blue jewellery box in the other.

"Jethro." She breathed, her heart finally feeling lighter for the first time since she left a week ago.

"Welcome home Ziva."

Ziva stuttered out a laugh, tears building in her throat.

Jethro was quick to set down the things he was carrying and drew her into his arms, holding her close.

Ziva sobbed just the once into his shoulder as she gripped his shirt and held him even closer than he was holding her.

"I have missed you so much." Ziva murmured into his shoulder, leaning to press a kiss to his neck.

"Missed you too."

Jethro squeezed her tighter, taking the moment to breathe her in.

"You're not going away again any time soon. If ever."

Ziva chuckled thickly.

"Agreed."

Jethro laughed and relaxed his grip only far enough to kiss her, them both pouring so much into the kiss, they nearly drowned in their love for each other.

Once they pulled back to breathe, Jethro smiled at her softly.

"You hungry?"

Ziva nodded and allowed him to pull out her chair for her.

They ate silently, simply enjoying each other's company for a while.

Once the had both finished, Jethro cleared his throat and took her hand in his.

"Got you a welcome home gift."

Ziva smiled.

"Thank you, but you did not need to."

Jethro shook his head.

"I know, wanted to."

Ziva smiled softly and Jethro slid the box across the table to her.

She smiled at him before opening the box and looking up at him in shock, her mouth opening and closing in a perfect goldfish impression that Jethro could help but chuckle at.

Nestled in the box, was the charm version of her NCIS shield.

"J-Jethro." She faltered. "H-how?"

Jethro shrugged.

"That'd be telling."

Ziva shook her head, still at a loss for words.

"This is..." she trailed off, not entirely sure how to put everything she was feeling to words.

"Ya like it?" Jethro asked slowly, drawing her eyes from the box to meet his own.

"Like it? Jethro this is, _spectacular_. I have no idea how but, oh Jethro I love it."

Jethro smiled broadly.

"But, I do not understand." She murmured, not wanting to hurt his feelings.

Jethro's smile softened.

"Wasn't happy about you going..."

Ziva hung her head slightly until he reached across and tapped her chin, making her look up again.

"But, I'm proud Ziva. Proud of your work. Proud of you."

She smiled, tears trickling down her cheeks.

"Want me to put it on?"

Ziva nodded, wordlessly, still more than a little dumbstruck.

Jethro gently took her right hand and slipped the charm onto her bracelet, pressing a whisper of a kiss to her palm once he had refastened the clasp.

"Jethro..." she trailed off and he smiled.

"Never seen you so speechless, Beautiful."

Ziva smiled softly, her eyes still not leaving her newest charm.

Above them, Gabby's cries filtered down from the nursery.

Ziva's eyes snapped to the ceiling, making Jethro smile.

"Come on." He stood and took her hand once she had done the same. "Someone's been missing their Mommy."


	15. Illness

_Ziva's sick and he knows just how to cheer her up..._

No one had ever accused Ziva of doing anything by halves.

She is so rarely ill, that when she is, she goes the whole nine yards.

Laid up in bed, bottles of painkillers and cough syrup, tissues and and glasses lukewarm water littering every available surface, with her head pounding and four blankets thrown on top of her, she was sorely regretting diving into that pond to save their suspect.

Jethro had hauled her out the second she'd grabbed hold of their killer's hand, and threw him at Tony and Tim, before wrapping a severely shivering Ziva into a huge bear hug, gladly accepting the survival blanket Tim produced from his emergency kit in the car.

Ducky had said mild hypothermia, telling her that she didn't need to be hospitalised but Jethro was to keep an 'annoyingly close' eye on her.

She hadn't been able to get warm for hours and the next day it had developed into a massive cold with a cough that rattled her insides to mush.

The director had barely listened to her on the phone for a few seconds when she had called in, before telling her to take all the time she needed.

Jethro had taken the time as personal, not wanting to leave Ziva while she was still asleep most of the time, her body using most of its energy to get her better.

It also meant that Gabby didn't have to go to day-care, the nine month old more than happy to spend more time with her parents, even if she was basically banned from being anywhere near Ziva, neither adult wanting Gabby to get ill.

Jethro was currently in the kitchen, making hot sweet tea to try and help clear the congestion in Ziva's chest and soothe her poor raw throat, while Gabby chatted happily to her father from her place sat at the baby gate he'd installed in the kitchen doorway.

"Mama says she feels a little better today Gabs, so we're gonna try to cheer her up with our surprise." Jethro told Gabby as she giggled at him.

"Mama!" She cried happily.

Jethro smiled broadly.

"That's right, clever girl." He praised, pouring the now boiling water into Ziva's mug and stirring the mixture. "Now, you ready Baby?"

"Mama!" Gabby giggled.

Her vocabulary had been getting better and better over the last two months since saying her first word, but she still fell back on 'Mama' 'Dada' 'yes' 'no' and 'more' as her basics.

"Come on then sweet girl, let's go see Mama."

Gabby nodded her agreement, lifting up her arms as Jethro opened the baby gate.

Jethro obliged and hoisted his daughter onto his hip with practised ease before making his way up the stairs.

Once at the top landing he set Gabby down and quietly placed the mug on the bedside table, flashing Ziva a smile, which she returned sleepily, before smoothing his hand over her forehead and leaving the room.

He crouched beside Gabby, catching her as she tried to crawl into the master bedroom.

"Uh huh, not yet." He murmured as he retrieved a length of soft pink ribbon and a matching small velvet jewellery box from his pocket.

He sat Gabby in his lap while he opened the box and shut the middle of the ribbon inside.

"C'mere Gabriella." He sing-song-ed, gently feeding the ends of the ribbon around his daughter's middle.

She looked down to watch as her daddy tied a bow around her tummy before looking up at him with a bemused look, that was so eerily reminiscent of her mother, he couldn't help but chuckle.

He gently tapped her nose, making her giggle happily, before picking her up and holding her up to his face.

Her tiny chubby hands took hold of both of his cheeks as she smiled widely at him.

"My happy girl." Jethro cooed softly. "Now, you know what to do?" He asked in mock seriousness.

"Mama." Gabby answered determinedly, her tiny brow furrowing.

Jethro chuckled.

"That's right."

He kissed her sloppily and she giggled again.

"Go on Gabs, do Dada proud."

He set her down just outside the room before letting her go, patting her bottom gently to set her off and leaning against the wall opposite the door.

Gabby pulled herself up onto her hands and knees before determinedly crawling towards the bed, knowing exactly where her mother was.

Jethro smiled proudly, so glad this was working as planned.

Ziva leaned over the side of the blanket mountain she had cocooned herself in when she heard shuffling coming towards her accompanied but her daughter's, largely unintelligible, babbling.

"Hi, Gabriella." Ziva cooed softly.

She sat up slightly straighter so as to watch as her daughter crawled up to the side of the bed and fall back onto her well padded bottom.

"What is your Dada up to now, hmm?" Ziva asked as she noticed the ribbon tied around her nine month old's waist.

Gabby smiled widely.

"Dada, Mama."

Ziva chuckled.

"Yes, I gathered that it was your Daddy's doing, Gabriella. Come here, Precious."

Ziva leaned down and hoisted her daughter onto the bed beside her.

Gabby promptly tipped herself forward so she was laid, tucked into her mother's side, her head pillowed just below the swell of her bust.

Ziva gently stroked the back of her daughter's head, teasing the young girl's curls with her fingers while the other hand undid the bow on her chest.

The soft thud caught her attention.

She reached around her daughter to collect the pale pink velvet box.

Gabby, seemingly oblivious to her mother's discovery, hummed contentedly against Ziva's chest.

"What have we got here Baby huh?" Ziva mused softly before using her ribs and the hand not happily entangled in her daughter's hair to open the box.

Inside, encased carefully in the spongy lining of the box, was a miniature white gold thermometer, with a rose gold scale going up one side.

Ziva chuckled, shaking her head at her husband's antics, knowing that while she couldn't see him, or feel his presence, he wouldn't be far away.

The yawn that flowed from her mouth took Ziva by surprise, still not used to how much energy her recovering body is zapping from her.

"Mama's sleepy sweet girl. Are you going to join me for nap time?"

Gabby sighs contentedly as she burrows further into her mother, them both drifting off to sleep in a matter of minutes, the box still lying open of Ziva's chest.


	16. Happy Birthday Gabby

_Their baby girl is growing fast... _

"Happy birthday, Gabriella." Ziva murmured as she lowered her sleeping daughter into her crib. "You are so loved."

They had spent the day with the team, everyone spoiling the first MCRT baby rotten.

Jethro was still cleaning up the hundreds of streamers and the huge pile of wrapping paper and empty boxes, all of which Gabby'd had more fun playing with than the equally huge piled of brand new toys.

Jackson and Abby seemed to have had a competition to see who could spoil her more.

There had been a few bitter sweet moments for both Gibbs men, this being the second time round for them both, but neither had let it affect Gabby's enjoyment of the day.

Ziva sighed contentedly as she stroked a chocolate curl from her daughter's forehead.

"Sleep well Tateleh. Sweet dreams."

She leaned down to place a kiss to her daughter's rosy cheek before pulling up the guard rail and switching off the light, pulling the door ajar as she left the nursery.

She met Jethro in the living room, watching from the doorway as he put all their daughter's new toys into one box so they could carry them upstairs.

"You're staring again, Ziva." He murmured, not moving to look at her.

Ziva chuckled before flopping onto the couch.

"She get off alright?"

"She is far away in dreamland." Ziva sighed. "No doubt dreaming of empty boxes rather than those."

They both chuckled as he slid the box into the corner and came to sit beside her.

He pressed a kiss to the top of her head as he drew her into his side.

"Kelly was the same, she'll love the toys in a few days, once the appeal of the wrappings wears off."

Ziva read that the comment didn't need addressing from her, so she settled for snuggling closer into him.

"She is a year old."

Ziva shook her head, burying her face in his chest as she wrestled with her composure, not sure if she'd laugh or cry if she let go.

"Time flies, Ziva."

Jethro held her tightly, trying to communicate just how emotionally confusing this was for him too.

"She will not be a baby for very much longer. While I am aware that she _has_ to grow up, and while I was more than aware she would not be an infant forever when she was born, a little more time would be nice."

Jethro squeezed her gently, sighing into her hair.

"She's still a baby, Ziva. And she'll always be our baby even when she's our age."

Ziva chuckled, unable to let that one slide.

"Our age? Is that yours, mine or the mean of the two?"

Jethro smirked, tickling her sides until she fell apart in incontrollable giggles.

"Having a one year old makes you cheeky."

"Having _your_ one year old makes me yours." She countered.

Jethro's smile softened as he gathered her closer, pulling her onto his lap and kissing her crown.

"That it does, my Ziva. That it does."

Jethro cleared his throat and shifted slightly, sliding his hand under her thigh and into his pocket before pulling out the black jewellery box and holding it in his palm.

"Jethro." Ziva sighed. "You have spent more than enough on our daughter."

"It's not..." He began to correct but the soft smile she shot him made him stop.

"I know, Jethro. In all likelihood, it is another beautiful charm, for my stunning and ridiculously thoughtful bracelet but Jethro, I can only imagine how much you have spent on it since our first Christmas."

Jethro smiled softly, making sure to look his wife directly in the eye.

"Ziva I love you. If I wanna spend money on you, spoil you, let you know how much you mean to me, don't see that as a bad thing."

Ziva dropped her eyes to stare at her hands.

"I never get you anything nearly as special." She murmured, self-conscious and regretful.

"I have you." He told her softly, drawing her slightly watery eyes back to his. "Don't need anything special, don't need more than you and that beautiful baby girl upstairs."

Ziva smiled softly.

"Let me spoil ya like you deserve to be, Ziva."

She nodded slightly.

Jethro smiled.

"Good. Now."

He placed the box on her knee with a smile.

Ziva chuckled before taking the box and hesitating just long enough to feel the weight and texture of it beneath her fingertips before prying open the lid.

Inside, seated carefully in black velvet was the newest tiny charm.

A white gold ring binder, the front cover engraved with 'You Are One Today', the word 'one' shown with each letter in its own individual building block.

Ziva chuckled.

"You got the same one for Gabriella's, I presume?"

Jethro nodded.

"Turn it over." Jethro husked against her curls.

Ziva followed his order and felt tears build in her eyes.

On the back of the charm, engraved into the metal, sat Gabby's name and the date.

"Thought I'd make it more special. Hers is the same. Didn't think you'd mind."

Ziva shook her head.

"Jethro this is, oh Jethro it is perfect. One day, you will have to tell me where you find them all."

Jethro laughed, the sound filling and lifting Ziva's heart.

"Ah, but that'd be telling."


	17. First Steps

_Author's Note-_I hardly ever do this, but I'm not sure about where I went with this. I like it, I think it's fitting and not OOC, but these all seem kinda sad lately. Oh well. I think two more after this. This will be Ziva's twenty seventh charm, if my maths is correct, and I'm swiftly running out of convincing ideas. I hope you enjoy this. Read, review, enjoy NYLF xx

* * *

_She will not cry, she will not...oh..._

Ziva snuggled closer into Jethro's chest before tapping the track pad on the laptop on her lap.

Her own distorted voice filtered through the speakers as the camera shook slightly before steadying.

"_Come on Gabriella."_ She cooed from the screen_. "Walk for Mama."_

Gabby's chubby face lit up at the sound of Ziva's voice, just off camera.

She looked from Ziva to where Jethro was standing behind the camera before pulling herself up onto her feet, using a strong grip on the couch beside her.

"_That's it Tateleh, walk to Mama." _

Jethro squeezed his wife tighter as he felt her breathing hitch.

"_Come on Gabs, come on big girl."_ Jethro's lilting smiley voice filtered through the speakers.

Gabby smiled again, clapping her hands and giggling, Jethro was pulling faces to her behind the camera.

"_Gabriella?"_ Ziva sing-song-ed. _"Oh Gabriella."_

"_Mama." _Gabby called, reaching out her chubby little hands in her mother's direction.

"_Come here then Tateleh and I will hold you." _

Gabby's tiny lower lip protruded as her face fell.

"_Oh Tateleh, it is okay. Mama and Dada are here Angel, just put one of your pretty feet in front of the other and we shall be together my Darling." _

Ziva buried her face in Jethro's chest, taking a deep calming breath.

"_Come Mama." _Gabby insisted.

Jethro chuckled behind the camera.

"_Hey Bossy."_ He called to her, garnering his daughter's attention. _"How about you come to Daddy huh?" _

Gabby's lower lip trembled.

"_Hey, no no no. No tears Gabs. You can do it. We know you can. Show off for the camera Baby Girl."_

Gabby let out a deep breath before looking down at her feet suspiciously.

Both of her parents held their breath, both on screen and off, despite the two watching already knowing the outcome.

Jethro stroked his hand up and down Ziva's arm as the screen shook slightly before high-pitched baby laughter erupted through the speakers.

On the screen, Gabby picked up on of her feet and carefully placed it in front of her, finally enjoying the attention.

Ziva gasped a breath as she watched her daughter's first steps on the screen.

Gabby, for her part, was now carefully lifting her second foot and putting it just in front of the first before giggling and picking up the pace.

She practically ran for all of four steps before landing with a thud on her well padded bottom.

She looked at where her mother was sitting expectantly.

"_Mama is so _so_ proud of you, Little One." _She cheered as she picked Gabby up and gathered her close, holding her as she spun around the room, smiling brightly as she giggled out loud.

The screen went dark just as Jethro's face appeared in the corner, a huge proud smile creasing his face.

Jethro pulled the laptop closed and put it at his feet before dragging Ziva onto his lap and holding her close.

"We're proud of her Ziva."

She nodded against his chest.

"I know that Jethro." She told him shakily. "I have never been as proud as I was when she made those first tiny steps."

Jethro laid his lips against the crown of her head.

"So why are you crying?"

Ziva chuckled thickly.

"I don't know." She sobbed.

Jethro smiled softly and drew her in closer, gently rubbing her back.

"That's okay." He chuckled gently, not even a hint of mocking in his tone.

They sat there, safely encased in each other's arms for a long moment, Ziva drawing strength from her husband, Jethro comforting her in the only way he knew how.

"I miss her needing me." Ziva murmured.

Jethro ducked his head to try and catch her eye.

"She still needs you Ziva."

She shook her head.

"Not like she used to. I do not begrudge her growing up; I just wish it didn't have to be so fast."

Ziva dissolved into tears, her hands coming up to cover her face.

"I know." Jethro sighed. "Me too."

Ziva's tears eventually softened from heart breaking sobs to gentle hitching in her breathing.

"Ziva, you gonna start sobbing again if I give you your charm?"

Ziva nodded.

"Yeah, probably."

Jethro chuckled.

"Least you're honest."

He leaned to the side, careful to not let Ziva fall, and retrieved the box from his bedside cabinet.

He hesitated for just a moment.

"You want a minute?"

Ziva shook her head.

"I will most likely be tearful all night; at least we can make them happier tears hmm?"

Jethro smiled and captured her lips in a soft clinging kiss.

"I love you." Ziva murmured softly.

Jethro smiled softly.

"Love you more."

Ziva smiled back.

"I love you most."

He gently took her hand and placed the box in her palm.

Ziva took a deep breath before gently prising open the velvet lid.

The tiny white gold footprint brought yet more tears to her eyes.

"How are you so good at this?"

Jethro chuckled a surprised note of laughter.

"Been married to ya for a while now. Known you much longer." He supplied with a shrug.

Ziva shook her head, rolling her tear-filled eyes.

"Would you…" she cleared her throat, "would you put it on for me?"

Jethro nodded and took the tiny clasp and affixed it to her bracelet with minimal fuss.

He gently kissed the inside of her wrist, just above her fluttering pulse.

"Thank you for giving me so many beautiful charms."

Jethro smiled softly.

"Thank you for giving me so many reasons to give them to you."


	18. First Broken Bone

_She'll never forget that scream..._

Ziva watched on proudly as Jethro held the back of their daughter's bike seat as she peddled slowly.

Her first time without training wheels.

Ziva smiled as she listened to him reassure her softly.

"I've got ya Gabs, you're not going anywhere. Just hold on tight for me and peddle."

The smile on the five year old's face was testament enough as to her enjoyment but the fact she hadn't stopped giggling since her father had taken off the bright purple training wheels, just over an hour ago, confirmed it only further.

Jethro glanced back at his wife and Ziva gave him a smile, this was a daddy/daughter thing, she was more than happy to watch on from the sidelines.

"You won't let go, right Daddy?" Gabby asked slightly apprehensively.

Jethro glanced back at Ziva and winked, making her have to cover her mouth with her hand to hold back her own laugh.

"Won't let go." Jethro confirmed.

Gabby nodded and tightened her grip on the handle bars until her little knuckles blanched.

Jethro pressed a kiss to her curls.

"Ready?"

Gabby nodded, moving her legs into position like her daddy had shown her.

"Go."

Gabby started pumping her legs slowly, steadily gaining momentum.

"I'm doing it Daddy! I'm doing it!" Gabby cried, ecstatically happy, as she poked out her tiny pink tongue in concentration.

Tears of pride sprung to Ziva's eyes as she watched her baby girl fly down the street, her father running along beside her.

"Lego Daddy! Lego!"

Jethro released her seat and slowed to a stop, watching as she soared in front of him.

She'd asked him to let go, he hadn't needed to do it against her wishes.

Jethro smiled, pride filling every crevice inside him.

He looked back to his wife, finding his huge grin reflected on her face.

The moment was broken suddenly when Gabby let out an ear splitting, heart breaking scream.

In the moment it took them to turn and face her, Jethro and Ziva took off sprinting.

Ziva fell to her knees beside where her little girl was laying while Jethro untangled her legs from the bike and stood it upright, before visually checking her for injuries.

"Gabriella? Where does it hurt Tateleh?" Ziva asked softly, everything she was feeling swamped by her need to be reassuring for her child.

Gabby whimpered as she sobbed.

"Gabs?" Jethro asked softly. "Tell Mommy where it hurts Baby. Mommy can't help if she doesn't know which bit hurts."

Gabby looked up at her mother with her ice blue eyes wide with pain and the shock of the fall.

"My arm hurts Mama." Gabby whimpered.

"Which one Sweetheart?" Ziva asked gently touching her left shoulder. "This one?" She moved her hand to the right. "Or this one?"

Gabby sobbed quietly, breaking both of her parent's hearts.

"Tateleh? Listen to Mama carefully okay?" She waited until Gabby nodded before continuing. "Which one hurts?" She made sure to soften out her voice, keeping it calm and comforting despite her own panic. "Your right arm," she ever so gently touched her right shoulder, "or your left?" She finished, moving her hand to Gabby's left shoulder.

"Left Mama." Gabby whimpered.

Ziva smiled reassuringly.

"Okay Baby. If Mama helps, do you think you could sit up for me?"

Gabby nodded and Ziva quickly found her husband's gaze.

Jethro nodded subtly.

"Okay, on three yes?"

Both Gabby and Jethro nodded.

Ziva gently slotted her hands under Gabby's arms and Jethro took hold of her hips.

"One, two, three."

They both lifted and managed to get Gabby into a sitting position without jostling her too much.

"Wasn't that bad huh Gabs?" Jethro asked, making sure his smile stayed steady.

The little girl shook her head, tears still streaming down her face as her tiny rosebud mouth pouted.

"Hurts Daddy."

Jethro glanced over his daughter's head to find Ziva with her eyes closed, her lower lip trembling.

"I know Honey."

He slid one of his hands onto his wife's where it rested on Gabby's shoulder.

Ziva opened her eyes to find his.

"Hospital Mama?" Jethro asked quietly, wanting to get her opinion before he told Gabby.

Ziva nodded, her eyes slipping closed once more, but not before Jethro saw the guilt swimming in them.

"Okay Baby, Daddy's gonna carry you okay, and we're gonna put you in the car and take you to the hospital so they can make your arm feel better, okay Angel?"

Gabby nodded.

"There's my big brave girl."

The tiniest of smiles curved the five year old's lips but it was enough.

Between the two of them, Ziva and Jethro got Gabby comfortable in Jethro's arms bridal style, her left arm laid carefully in her lap while her right was tucked between her side and her daddy's chest.

Ziva strode on ahead, going to pack a bag for her. Snacks, a colouring book, crayons, a blanket and Gabby's soft-bodied baby doll that she couldn't sleep without, she was preparing for a long stay.

Once she returned to the car, Jethro had slotted Gabby carefully into her booster and was sitting in the driver's seat.

With Ziva shaking as badly as she was, there was no way she'd be able to drive.

Once they arrived at the hospital, Ziva got them checked in while Gabby sobbed quietly into her daddy's chest.

"It's okay Gabby. They'll make you feel better soon." Jethro soothed while Ziva came and took a seat beside her.

Time seemed to stand still until Gabby's name was called.

More than an hour and three x-rays later, the doctor told them that Gabby had a hairline fracture in her left wrist.

It wasn't anything major to worry about and certainly didn't need surgery, but she would need to be cast from knuckles to elbow for six weeks.

Jethro nodded and thanked the doctor while Ziva sat beside him staring into space.

Knowing better than to disturb her when she was like this, Jethro went to help Gabby pick out a colour for her cast.

They ended up with a very bright pink and were sent home with a prescription and an appointment to have the cast removed in six weeks time.

Gabby was asleep by the time they got home and Ziva still hadn't said a word.

Once Jethro had put Gabby to bed, a pillow under her wrist, her doll tucked under her right arm, he found Ziva stood in their ensuite bathroom, staring unseeing into the mirror, leaning heavily on the sink.

"She's okay Ziva." Jethro murmured, trying not to startle her as he leaned against the door frame.

"I know." Ziva replied, her voice emotionless but her eyes still couldn't lie to him.

Fear, guilt and residual panic all screamed at him from her gaze.

"Ziva?" He prompted gently, moving so he was behind her, his huge hands dwarfing her own as he covered them.

Ziva's head dropped as she cried for the first time since Gabby had fallen.

Jethro silently gathered her in his arms and held her into his chest, neither saying a word.

They both needed this.

"I have failed her Jethro." Ziva murmured against him several minutes later, the tears in her voice, the guilt lacing her tone, breaking his heart even further.

"No you haven't." Jethro told her firmly but not unkindly. "She fell. She's five, she's _supposed_ to fall."

"She is in a cast Jethro!" Ziva cried. "She has not even started school and I could not protect her enough to not let her break herself."

Jethro held her closer, wrapping his arms completely around her.

"I let go Ziva. I took my eye off her. If you wanna blame anyone, then blame me."

Ziva shook her head.

"Then don't blame anyone. It was an accident. She landed awkwardly and broke her wrist."

Ziva stayed silent for several more minutes before pulling back far enough to look him in the eye.

"You are burning that bike."

Jethro chuckled.

"Yes Dear."

They both knew it he was only saying it to placate her, but it was enough for now.

"Oh and Jethro?"

"Hmm?"

"I do not want a charm about this."

Jethro chuckled and drew her back into his embrace, pressing a soft kiss to her head.

The day they went to get Gabby's cast off, Jethro left a box on the kitchen counter and ran.

Ziva couldn't help but laugh as she attached the bone charm onto her bracelet.


End file.
